Abraham Lincoln
16th President
Nettie Colburn Maynard
The Lincolns and Nettie Colburn Maynard understood their participation in séances could jeopardize the President's political standing. Nettie wrote: "Mr. Somes frequently warned me that it would be unwise to talk to newspaper men, or to answer any of the many inquiries that were constantly made regarding the subject of our presidential séances…." It is not surprising that up to this day, the President's interest in Spiritualism remains a bit of a mystery.[1]
J. B. Conklin
a New York City Spirit medium, visited the White House on numerous occasions, and the automatic writings he sent to the President are now kept in the Library of Congress. Spirits speaking through both Conklin as well as Nettie Colburn Maynard encouraged Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
"For four succeeding Sundays, Mr. Conkin was a guest at the Presidential mansion." Mr. Conkin has himself alleged … that the Spirits not only urged the subject of the Emancipation Proclamation, but that they, … spelled out, letter by letter, the preliminary draft of that famous document.”[2]
Charles E. Schockle
At Séance in the Red Room of the White House, the Spirit of Stephen Douglas gives policy advice to President Abraham Lincoln.[3]
Charles Colchester
Elizabeth Keckley, a seamstress employed in the White House, introduced Charles Colchester to Mrs. Lincoln. Colchester conducted several séances for both President Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, at the Soldier's Home and White House[4]. Colchester, who was exposed as a fraudulent medium, even tried to blackmail Mrs. Lincoln.
Charles H. Foster
Nettie Colburn Maynard writes in her book Was Lincoln a Spiritualist?: "It was during this memorable winter of [18] '64 and [18] '65… that I knew of the visits of Charles Colchester and Charles Forster (two well-known mediums of that time) to the White House, and of their sittings with President Lincoln. Through them and through myself he received warnings of his approaching fate; but his fearless, confident nature disregarded the warning he received."[5]
Dr. Paschal Beverly Randolph
Dr. Paschal Beverly Randolph was a 19th-century Black American medical doctor, Rosicrucian, and Spiritualist. He wrote over 50 books and pamphlets explaining metaphysical mysteries that were even translated into other languages. He founded the First Rosicrucian Order in the United States of America, which still exists today.
Dr. Randolph was also a close friend and confidante of President Abraham Lincoln, and accompanied his body on the train to Springfield, Illinois, for burial.[6]
Mrs. Lucy A. Hamilton
"Mrs. Lucy A. Hamilton. She was an irregular "clairvoyant physician"… ran a healing clinic in Hartford, Connecticut. She advertised her ability to diagnose a patient's illness and prescribe medicine entirely by mail as well. She would seem to have "operated" on patients by channeling a kind of healing power from the spirits into them." The Lincolns' son Willie contracted typhoid fever in February 1862; it is assumed that Mrs. Hamilton was called to Washington by the Lincolns to try to treat him.[7]
Charles Redmond
Medium Charles Redmond had a premonition that Lincoln would be assassinated in Baltimore, during his journey to Washington D. C. to be inaugurated as President of the United States. To avoid the danger, Lincoln traveled incognito during the last leg of his journey. Redmond claimed he saved the President's life.[8]
The Laurie Family
Footnotes
[1] Heasley, Karen L. “Spiritualism in the White House: Lincoln.” Karen's Korner. 20 November 2019. Web. 4 October 2025. < https://spiritualpathspiritualistchurch.org/spiritualism-in-the-whitehouse-lincoln/>.
[2] Britten, Emma Hardinge. Nineteenth Century Miracles: or Spirits and their work in Every Country of the Earth. NY: Lovell & Company, 1884. p.485.
[3] Fornell, Earl Wesley. The Unhappy Medium: Spiritualism and the Life of Margaret Fox. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1964. pp. 119-121.
[4] “Mary’s Charlatans: Charles J. Colchester.” The Lehrman Institute. n.d. Web. 04 October 2025. < https://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/residents-visitors/marys-charlatans/marys-charlatans-charles-j-colchester/index.html>.
[5] Maynard Nettie Colburn. Was Abraham Lincoln A Spiritualist? or Curious Revelations From A Trance Medium. Philadelphia, PA: Rufus C. Hartranft, 1891. p. 109.
[6] TrueLeoSnake. “Dr. Paschal Beverly Randolph an Occult Grand Master whose been intentionally forgotten by Western History..” Reddit 2017. Web. 13 October 2025. <https://www.reddit.com/r/occult/comments/7wnmxo/dr_paschal_beverly_randolph_an_occult_grand/>.
[7] Buescher, John Benedict. The President’s Medium: John Conklin, Abraham Lincoln, and the Emancipation Proclamation. Forest Grove, Oregon: The International Association for the Preservation of Spiritualist and Occult Periodicals, 201, 5. p. 103.
[8] MColeman, Christopher Kiernan. The Paranormal Presidency of Abraham Lincoln: Presentiments, Precognition, Prophetic Dreams, & Other Uncanny Encounters of the 16th President of the United States. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, LTD., 2012. p. 89.
[9] Martinez, Susan B. The Psychic Life of Abraham Lincoln. Franklin Lakes, NJ: New Page Books, 2007. pp. 218-219.
[10] Chaney, W. H. “Was He A Spiritualist? Reminiscences of President Lincoln.” The Religio-Philosophical Journal. 16 January 1886. Web. 30 November 2025. p 5. <https://iapsop.com/archive/materials/religio_philosophical_journal/religio_philosophical_journal_v39_n21_jan_16_1886.pdf>.
[11] Hamilton, Michelle L. “I Would Still Be Drowned in Tears”: Spiritualism in Abraham Lincoln’s White House. 2013. p. 65.